Face First
by imaddicted
Summary: Abbi Tanagrin has her life turned upside down by a guy from her past after she moves from her home in North Carolina to a small town in Michigan.


"Abigail Tanagrin was an ordinary 12th grader in an ordinary Raleigh high school

**New Beginnings In Familiar Places**

"Abigail Tanagrin was an ordinary 12th grader in an ordinary Raleigh high school. She never thought much of herself and tried her best to stay out of the spotlight…" Why doesn't this sound right? Oh, yeah…I am Abbi Tanagrin. I _used_ to be an ordinary 12th grader. I _used_ to live in Raleigh, North Carolina. I _used_ to not be in the spotlight, but somewhere, somehow in the move from my ex-home in Raleigh to my unwanted residence in Michigan, I changed. I'm not exactly sure where but somehow in the 15 hours it took to move from my friends and neighbors to an unknown territory, I ended up in the "hot seat" and I was trying frantically to erase myself from history.

At first glance, the small town I had relocated to looked peaceful and vaguely charming. It had that old look and feel. You know; the one where the buildings all needed a new coat of paint and everyone and their great grandpa knew each other from preschool. And if that wasn't enough to make it less appealing to me, a semi-nomad, native to the warmer regions of America, it was winter in this little town. And not even a new, bright white winter.

It was the middle of January, and bitter. Jack Frost must have thought it funny to nip at my nose when I got out of the car to enter what was my new venue. I shivered at the thought that it would not get any warmer. My feelings towards my Aunt Gwen we not intentional, but I did not want to live in this chilly place called Rose City. Sure, I had visited and I knew that Aunt Gwen lived "around the corner" from a highly adolescent-populated street, but it still did not strike the fact that I was not looking forward to making new friends.

"Well, here we are. I hope you like this old house. It's fit my lifestyle for a while and I think you're going to like having a nice big room," Aunt Gwen said, trying to distract me from what she thought was me reflecting on the accident. I was pleased that she mistook my expression for emotional damage, rather than displeasure for the cold and wet.

"You should like the neighborhood kids, Avery. I think Billy Jacobsen has a nephew your age. I may be wrong, but I think his name is Rogan? Maybe you could make friends with him—"

"I'm actually really tired, Aunt Gwen. Can I go up to my room and just rest for a while before I go seeking new friends?" I cut her off, before she went off on a tangent like my dad was known to do. She didn't remember that I had spent a week with her a few summers ago and had already met Rogan Willamose. My Aunt never got married nor had any kids, so she didn't really understand that I needed time to get used to the "new" way things were going to be. But my dad's half sister was the only family I had left. And I didn't really care. She was cooler than most people and I was glad that I was stuck with her rather than stuck with some foster parents I didn't know.

"Oh, well, I guess that's alright," she said with a blank expression. She led me through the door and told me my room was up the stairs two flights. She said it was the door at the end of the hall.

"Just holler if you need anything, alright?" Aunt Gwen was always cool about letting me settle in before bombarding me with food or lumpy, hand-knitted sweaters like my Grandma Morgan used to do.

"Alright," I yelled back, having arrived at the top of the stairs. It smelled like lavender and fresh paint. I dropped my lemon-yellow duffle bag on the floor outside the door of what was my new bedroom. There was a small table against the wall with a round marble top. There was an elaborate key rested on the surface next to a vase of artificial daisies. I thought about asking Aunt Gwen if the key were for my room, when I noticed that there was a note attached to the handle of the door.

_Abbi, _

_The key on the table is to your room and a few of the other doors on the 3rd floor. Call me if you need anything. There should be clean sheets on the desk for when you need them._

I grabbed the key and, my hand slightly shaking, I opened the door. The lavender smell was a little stronger than in the hall, but not overpowering. The walls were a light shade of violet and there was a full size four-poster bed in the corner of the room. But that was nothing in comparison to the huge window seat directly across from the door. I slowly walked toward it, afraid that it was all a dream and it was going to disintegrate beneath me. I placed my hand on the white cotton cushions. They were soft and comforting.

"I take it you found your room," Aunt Gwen said. She scared me and I must have jumped because all of the hairs on my body were standing on end and she was laughing. I smirked and she stopped. I knew that she didn't mean to scare me but I couldn't help but notice her obvious amusement by my reaction.

"Yeah, I found it. Would it be alright if I put my clothes in this dresser?" I asked, noticing the huge oak dresser and vanity next to the four-poster.

"Of course dear, that's why it's in here. Do you like it? I remember you said you liked the lavender plant in the yard last time you visited," she said, shifting her gaze to the dried lavender hanging from a hook in the ceiling that I hadn't noticed.

"You remember that?" I asked, unbelieving. I instantly regretted my words because of the hurt look on her face.

"Of course," she said, with a little resentment. "Why wouldn't I. You _are_ my only niece." I should have known she was fond of me. It was true, I was her only niece. My father was an only child until his father (my granddad) remarried a widow with 2 children of her own, Gwen and Xavier.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little out of the scheme of everything. I didn't mean anything by it," I apologized. "It's alright. You've been through a lot in the past week. I made some chicken soup yesterday, if you get hungry. It's in the icebox," she added. My Aunt was one of those people we call "an old soul". She referred to things like the refrigerator as the "ice box" and the microwave the "mini-oven".

"Okay. I'm actually feeling a little refreshed now that I know where my bed is," I exclaimed with a crooked smile. She took that as her cue to leave and went back downstairs. I unpacked my clothes and placed them in the drawers of the oak dresser. They smelled like lavender and were lined with the same white cotton as the window cushions.

After I was finished, I studied the purple walls and followed their edges until my eyes rested upon an old desk. It was oak like the rest of the furniture. _Oh, good!_ I thought to myself,_ a place I can write my friends and do homework._ After that I wasn't really sure of the rest of the day. It was all a foggy blur. I remember eating and Aunt Gwen mentioning enrolling me in school. I remember putting on my pajamas and getting into bed. Other than that, I was out cold.

**The "Hallow" Halls of Jackson High**

My first day of high school was almost a nightmare. I walked in and immediately everyone looked at me. I trudged through what felt like a sea of whispers to the front office. An older secretary asked my name and pulled up my file.

"Here are your classes, dear. Now, if you need any help finding your way, just ask another student," she smiled at me, and I tried to smile back. I think it came out more like a grimace. I glanced at my schedule to see what I had first.

"Application of Genetics with Chambers? Oh, man he's a great teacher!" I jumped because I hadn't noticed that there was anyone else in the office. I turned around to be looking at a tall boy with black shaggy hair. He had oval glasses and blazing blue eyes.

"Hi! I'm Jacob Fitzgerald, but you can call me Jay." He held out his hand and I shook it. He looked familiar but I didn't know where from. "Sorry to be rude, but who are you?" He inquired with an expression of confusion and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

"I'm Abbi," I blurted. This was not my best introduction but it was the best could do in my situation. Normally, I would have said my first and last name and held out my hand to shake his. "Please excuse my rudeness. It is my first day and I was looking at my schedule. I didn't notice anyone else waiting behind me," I apologized.

"Don't worry about it. I haven't been waiting long. I actually have genetics first hour too. Want me to show you the way to the science wing?" He was either trying to make a good impression for future possibilities, or he was just a really nice guy. I went with both because he looked smart and he was my only "friend" so far at Jackson High.

"Um, sure, I guess that's alright. I don't know where it is anyways," I said, shrugging. He mumbled something to the secretary and she nodded and started making a phone call.

"Well, shall we?" He held my eyes a little longer than I would have expected. He opened the door for me and I walked through it, thanking him. "So, are you the new girl from North Carolina?" he asked innocently.

"Um, yeah, I am. How did you know?" I was going to find out what he wanted before he asked too many questions and I lost my train of thought.

"Well," he took off his glasses and put them on top of his head, "We don't usually get new kids around here and your story was all over the 6pm news." I had forgotten that "my story" had been all over the news. The reason I had come to Michigan to live with my Aunt Gwen was because I lost both of my parents and my pet dog, Jazz, in a house fire that destroyed half of our block. It was natural for people to ask how I felt and yes, I am the unfortunate adolescent whose parents…well, you get the idea.

I was wondering how he connected me to the Raleigh fire, and then I remembered that they showed my face on the news because I had arrived home after the fire engulfed half my house and spread to my neighbor's house. It was a late night and both of my parents were asleep and didn't wake up soon enough.

My mom used to take sleeping pills for her insomnia. My dad tried to wake her and they both ended up in ICU and died the next day from severe burns and smoke inhalation. I shouldn't say that I lost Jazz in the house fire because she wasn't at the house at all. We had to get her put to sleep because she had cancer that the vet couldn't treat and she couldn't walk. It's just easier for me to say that she passed in the fire than to reveal the truth.

"I guess you might have a point there," I said, realizing what he was saying. "That really sucks about your parents though. I'm really sorry," he said, trying to sound sympathetic. I actually was a little annoyed. This guy, (Jay, I think his name was) didn't even know me and he was trying to be sympathetic. I don't think so.

"I beg your pardon, but it really isn't your place to be sympathetic. You didn't know them and you don't know me either. I could be a psycho now because of what happened and you would feel 'sorry' because you would think that it was your place to fell that way," I snapped. He was stunned. I quickly explained myself.

"Sorry. It's just I'm so sick of everyone feeling sorry for me. It wasn't my fault they died and it isn't my fault that everyone feels they have to walk on eggshells around me and be "sympathetic". I just don't really like to be in the hot seat, that's all," I explained. His blazing eyes softened.

"I'm sorry. I guess until you lose someone you love, you don't really understand the hurt involved," he apologized. I had begun to like this Jay kid. We walked to class and I tried to memorize the way. Left, right, another left, and down the stairs. I checked my watch…7:23 a.m. I had a while before class started and it occurred to me that in the short minutes that it took us to get to the biology lab that I could have easily found it myself. There were maps all over the school.

"So, what do you like about Rose City so far?" Jay asked. I looked at him with curiosity and he rephrased. "Well, I mean, do you like the town? I've lived here ever since I was little but I still find amazing stuff to see here—"

"Like what?" I interrupted him. I didn't see what was so "interesting" about Rose City. Quite frankly, I didn't really like it at all. "Umm…The library is cool, if you like books I mean. And the old shops in town have some cool stuff to look at…" he trailed off. Actually, it seemed he couldn't think of anything "interesting" in Rose City, either.

"Well, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, but if you don't mind, I am going to go talk to the Mr. Chambers about catching up in whatever I have missed in class. Excuse me," I said before he could start up more conversation. It was alright that I had made a "new friend", but I didn't want him to be in my face all the time. After Jay played off his casual let-down and strolled into class, I collected my thoughts and did the same. I kept my head down, as so not to draw attention to myself, but despite my efforts, everyone stared.

"Ah," said Mr. Arthur Chambers, the genetics teacher. "You must be Abigail Tanagrin." I glanced at the people who were to be my new classmates. They looked curious. I turned toward Mr. Chambers, and nodded, my eyes still on my own feet.

"I suppose you can sit in the empty seat by the window. Please do not hesitate to ask questions of myself or your classmates," he said with a smile. Mr. Chambers was in his late twenties. He had blonde hair, fair skin, and chestnut eyes. But the feature of his face that stood out the most was not his boyish freckles, but the white scar below his right cheekbone. I caught myself staring and I quickly turned away, and took my seat by the window, wondering what could have possibly blemished such a beautiful face.

"Alright, class. Settle down now. As you all know, we have a new student from North Carolina with us. Her name is Abigail Tanagrin and I think she would appreciate it if you would not disturb her by asking her questions during my class. I will be grateful for it also. Now continuing our studies from last week, the genetic pairs are called alleles and…" I lost what he was saying when I felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of my head. I turned to a pair of eyes, belonging to a boy with bright red hair and freckles, staring at me.

When I dropped my gaze and tried to go back to my work, I found that it was not just one pair of eyes, but a whole few rows of eyes. I turned back to the chaotic white and puke-green papers on my desk, trying not to notice that I was being watched by almost every kid in the classroom.

"Hey," I was being poked in the back of the head, "Hey!" I turned around to a yellow pencil about to put my eye out when the kid actually noticed.

"What?!" I asked, trying to sound annoyed that he interrupted my studies. "Aren't you the new girl? Everybody's wondering who you are," the boy said. The weak winter light from behind the hanging blinds hit his flaming head like a spotlight, momentarily blinding me. He poked me again, this time in the forehead.

"Yes, I am the 'new girl', and would you please stop that and leave me alone so that I can catch up?" I asked, becoming more annoyed with each sentence that I missed. "Alright," he said, obviously disappointed that I wasn't going to talk to him.

"But, I'm going to wait to talk to you after class, so don't try to disappear or anything," he smiled, showing a row of perfectly even, white teeth. "Fine, whatever," I said, turning around. After a few moments of trying to concentrate, I finally gave up. I couldn't get the words this guy said out of my mind. It also didn't help that he continued to poke me in the back of the head with his pencil, snickering.

**Pet Peeves and Pet Names**

I waited for the bell to ring, tapping my foot impatiently. I had it all planned out. I was going to grab Jay and run to my next class. Hopefully, I could get away from the kid with the fire for hair and the freckles. I was about to jump out of my seat and stand by the door when Mr. Chambers gave us the last few minutes to start on our homework. I had done this in Bio last year. The labeling of the chromosomes was easy enough. _Now only if I could get out of having a heart-to-heart with this kid behind me_, I thought. As if he had read my mind, Jay tapped my paper, forcing my attention up.

"What up, buttercup?" He smiled, his perfect teeth shining. I glared at him. "I don't do pet names. They're degrading." Jay chuckled, and sat in the desk next to me that a blonde girl has just vacated.

"So, catch any attention during class?" he asked slyly. I had seen him glancing at me during class, grinning his fool head off. He'd seen the look of annoyance on my face when the red head poked me and prodded for my concentration. I glared at him, but it only made him grin more. He looked so much like a friend of mine from home. Or maybe I just recognized him from my childhood visits. I couldn't place his face in my memories in my current state, so I gave up and decided to hold an inquiry of my own.

"So, now that you've asked your twenty questions—," I began but he cut me off mid-sentence. "—And you still haven't answered the last two." Jay smirked as I huffed up and began to walk out of the room, situation being that the bell had rung, signaling the end of class. The look on Jay's face was immediately scorned. He had to jog and push his way through groups to keep up with me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was only kidding around," he said, a look of regret crossing his face. I raised an eyebrow in his general direction, sighed to myself and turned to him.

"Well, did it ever occur to you that I might not want to spill? I mean I haven't been the one with the verbal diarrhea here," I challenged. His regretful expression twisted into confusion and then into an intricate combination of smugness and amusement. He had stopped walking, obviously at his next class, and crossed his arms. I marveled at the way his white button down stretched over his well-developed shoulders. He had rolled the sleeves just under his elbows, and I could see the wiry muscles twisting along his arm.

"Look, firecracker, I was just trying to be nice. _That_ and I was trying to keep your attention for myself, in order to rescue you from Pete over there." He pointed at the red-head who bruised my back with the pencil shuffling down the hall with a sour expression. "You're welcome, by the way. He shouldn't bother you anymore. He's head of the Student Mathletes Association, and the biggest busy-body you will ever meet in this school." I smirked. "I think I've already met the biggest busy-body, so if you don't mind, I'd like to get to class before I'm late."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Well, open your eyes, genius. We're already at your class. Just so happens I'm in this one too." I checked the room number with my schedule. Room 4D, Social Studies Wing. The teachers' name was Miss Eleanor Daystar, and second hour she taught Sociology. Damn, he was right. I blushed with chagrin and went in as the bell rang. I turned to him after I had taken my seat in the back and said," And just to remind you, I don't do pet names." I saw his cheek twitch into a smile. "Not that you know of," He replied.

I glared at him and said, "Nothing is up, except for the fact that your ego is showing, and the only attention I've received has been almost entirely unwanted." He chuckled. "Told you so," Jay whispered, smiling. I sighed in annoyance, but the smirk on his face told me that he thought it was a sigh of defeat. It was going to be a _very_ long day.

I trudged through the horrible white torture Michiganians like to call winter, trying to remember my homework for the day. I walked (more like skated) the two blocks from the high school to Aunt Gwen's. I rummaged through my bag for my key that she had given me earlier that morning. I finally found it in the bottom of my bag, underneath my crazy heavy Sociology book. _Jeez,_ I thought to myself, _Miss Daystar is nice, but she gives a hectic homework load._ I unlocked the door, shrugged off my outer layer of winter gear, and headed up to my very purple room with my homework, taking the stairs two at a time. When I finally got to the top, I was out of breath. "Whew!" I exhaled, "I forgot how many stairs there were."

"Well, that's easy for you to say," an amused voice echoed into the hall. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight on end as a tall, dark figure walked out of the shadows. My fright immediately turned to annoyance as I recognized the person.

"Jay, what the _hell_ are you doing here?" I hissed. This was beyond irritating. All I wanted to do was start on my homework, grab a bowl of chicken soup from yesterday and chill out. I did _not_ want to cater to the newfound thorn in my side known as Jacob Fitzgerald.

"I thought I'd just drop by to check up on you. No need to be so excited to see me," He smiled crookedly and I felt a strange, nauseating sensation in my stomach. I crossed my arms and glared at him. Clearly, he wasn't getting the hint. It was bad enough that despite my efforts, he had popped into my thoughts way more than he should have today. He saw me to four of my six classes, being as he was in all but two of them, and every so often I saw his blue eyes turn away from me with that stupid grin on his face. He was more admirable than Pete, I had to admit.

"What are you really doing here, Jay?" I asked. "He's my assistant, Abbi." I turned to see Aunt Gwen carrying a huge plant out of one of the other rooms. I gaped at her, open-mouthed and speechless. She threw me a quick grin and continued her journey down the stairs.

"So I wasn't completely honest when I said I was checking up on you. I swear I'm not some creepy stalker. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you before." He shoved his hands into his pockets and started to walk past me.

"Wait," I said, touching his shoulder. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't realize…well, you must think I'm the most impossible person now." He shrugged, grinning. "No, just a firecracker," he said, and strode down the stairs. It took me a minute to slap myself back to reality. I was shocked to find a sheepish grin on my face as I blushed with chagrin. I could not let myself get attached to this kid. It simply would not do, but as my mind began to wander from my Sociology homework, I realized it was too late. No matter what excuse I fought with, I couldn't deny the truth that I had fallen for Jay Fitzgerald and had fallen hard. All I had to do now was to wait until I hit the pavement.

**Charred Toast and Check Mates**

After a quick rap on the door, I startled awake in totally wrapped in my sheets. I was having a really weird dream about rolling down a hill, gaining snow as I went to make me a giant snowball. But it wasn't just me. Pete was there too, in the snowball. The part I wanted to remember most wouldn't come back to me. I unwrapped myself enough to look sort of comfortable just as Aunt Gwen strode in, looking like a piece of sunshine, completely dressed in yellow. "Morning, sleepy head," she said, one hand on her yellow-clad hip, one on the door handle.

I yanked my pillow over my head and groaned. "If you don't get up, you'll be late for school," she said, pulling the curtains open and taking my pillow off my head. "Well we wouldn't want that," I mumbled sarcastically, sitting up groggily and yawning. She smiled at me, and pointed to her head. "You look like you've got a rat's nest for a hair piece, dear. Why don't you get ready for school, and I'll fix you up some breakfast." I nodded and made like I was going to get up.

After Aunt Gwen left, I got back under my covers for a few extra dozing minutes. Did she realize class didn't start until eight? And that it was only six thirty?


End file.
